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| MAY
2006 |
©
brianmay.com |
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**Wed
31 May 06**
BRIAN MAY NEW 2006 MODEL GUITAR FOR SALE
 |
Spotted for sale on the web by Jarl. Advertised by gak.co.uk. House Music told us that Guitar, Amp & Keyboard in Brighton have had one advance sample of the 2006 model and have several on back order. A shipment should land this week; we can expect some specs. As reported previously, one of the guitars is going to Guitarist magazine for review - hopefully favourable. MORE NEWS SOON |
**Wed
31 May 06**
JAPANESE EDITION "BACK TO THE LIGHT" OUT TODAY
 |
Today
31 May, Japan edition of "Back To The Light" had
its great Resurrection! See www.hmv.co.jp To my knowledge, after its first release in 1992, it gradually became a rare item even in Japan.Many fans, especially new fans, had to find secondhand one if they want to own it. But now, new one is available again! I bought the original U.K. edition some years ago, and I love it so much, but today I got the Japan edition for the first time! 2 beautiful bonus tracks for the Japan edition: Thanks for the reminder to Yukari. |
**Mon
29 May 06**
BRIAN TO PLAY ON BATS 3!!
Yesterday (28 May) Meat Loaf wrote on his forum that Brian had been in the studio with Meat and the band and played the Red Special on Bad For Good which has been said to be one of the songs on the new Bat out of Hell album; The Monster is Loose. Straight from the horses mouth as they say! "Over AI...moving on.....Just wanted to tell you Brian May came and played on the record yesterday, Brian May,Brian May, YES, BRIAN MAY. Don't know if you care as much as I do, but it was GREAT GREAT GREAT, before you ask he played on "Bad For Good"...talk to you soon. " TC Ed: If you don't know the song - "Bad For Good" is comparable to "Bat Out Of Hell" and "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"... There's a sample of the track from composer Jim Steinman's 1981 album "Bad For Good" HERE. Imagine Brian's multi-layered guitars .
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**Sun
28 May 06**
06 'AUST ROCKPAPER
SCISSORS CHAMPS' KICKS OFF!!!
PRESS RELEASE The 2nd Annual 2006 ‘Australian Rock Paper Scissors Championships’ (ARPSC)… put your best HAND forward!! The
2006 ‘ARPSC’,
in association with the World RPS Championships (WRPSC)
kicks off in June with State & Territory Qualifying Rounds
followed by the PLEASE see full competition & venue details below. Who can
forget the final match of the 2005 ARPSC National final… the
tension
in the main arena as ‘The DR Quinn’ faced off against
Michelle ‘Pooh
Bum’ 2005 Queensland & Australian
National Champ ‘Quinn Ramsden’ aka ‘The
DR
Quinn’, a 25 year old left hander from Cairns who studies phycology,
went The 2006 ARPSC National Champion will go onto compete in the 2006 WRPSC & will be awarded with an advanced standing. The 5th Annual 2006 ‘WRPSC’ will be staged in Toronto, Canada on the 30th September. The 2005 WRPSC
brought approx 1000 competitors and spectators from around
the world to Toronto where players competed for the prestigious title
An internationally
renowned sport, the history of Rock Paper Scissors (RPS)
RPS is a decision
making game of wits, speed, dexterity and strategy between
players who are unable to reach a decision using other means. The
The game is played by substituting the elements of: Rock, Paper and Scissors with standard hand signals. Rock: Is represented by a closed fist with the thumb resting at least at the same height as the topmost finger of the hand. Scissors: Is delivered in the same manner as Rock with the exception that the index and middle fingers are fully extended toward the opposing player. Paper: All fingers including the thumb are fully extended and horizontal with the points of the fingers facing the opposing player. ARPSC competition
rules are governed, maintained and approved by the World
RPS Society (WRPSS) under the guidance and authority of the World
Regional & State/Territory competition entry is free, unless charity fundraiser and registration will be accepted on the day/night of competition. Players are encouraged to enter a team, themed if desired, or just fly solo. For full 2006 ARPSC details & other essential RPS info, please visit: Thank
you for your time. QUEENSLAND (QLD) *Townsville. ‘Seaview Hotel’.
PH: 07 47715005 *Mackay. ‘Main Street Night Club’.
PH: 07 4957 7737 *Rockhampton. ‘Strutters Night Club’.
PH: 07 4922 2882 *Gold
Coast. ‘Club Helensvale’.
PH: 07 5573 1491. *Brisbane. ‘Fringe Bar’ PH: 07 3252 9833. QLD Qualifying
Round & State NEW SOUTH WALES (NSW) *Newcastle. ‘CBD Hotel’.
PH: 02 4929 2274 *Sydney. ‘Cabana Bar & Lounge.
PH: 02 9906 6400 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (ACT) VICTORIA (VIC). Competition completed. Congratulations to the 2006
VIC SOUTH AUSTRALIA (SA) WESTERN AUSTRALIA (WA) NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT) AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL Qualifying Round. Registration onsite from 12 noon. $10 player entry fee & free
entry for
spectators. Competition starts 1.00pm. Top placegetters from National
Qualifying Round progress to the ‘Main Event’ where they
face off against
State & Territory Champions. **Australian & NZ
Air Guitar Championships** AGA Contact Details: |
**Sun
28 May 06**
06 AUST AIR GUITAR CHAMPS - NAT FINAL RESULTS
| The 2006
Australian National Air Guitar Champion is… ‘Clay
Bangers’!! Clay
Connolly aka ‘Clay Bangers’, 2006 QLD State Champ,
took out the 5th
Annual Australian Air Guitar Championships (AAGC) National Grand Final
on Broken strings, bones and dreams have been endured in a lead up to the National Grand Final in order to find the ‘greatest guitarist in Australia who never played’! ‘Bangers’ (to
his mates!) now goes onto represent Australia at the 11th
(one louder then 10) Annual Air Guitar World Championships (AGWC),
Finland, Now etched in Australian Air Guitar folk law, ‘Banger’s’ win was hard fort due to very stiff competition from fellow state & territory champions including: ‘Angry Penis (Darwin – NT), ‘Crimson Gore’ (NSW), ‘Lou Jovi’ (VIC), ‘Lukey Spookey’ (TAS), ‘Lozzy Losbourne’ (SA) & ‘Soph Dog’ (Alice Springs – NT). ‘Bangers’ played a hard rocking song ‘4 Words to Choke Upon’ by ‘Bullet for my Valentine’ in his free round and the a ACDC classic, ‘Dirty Deed’s, in the mystery round. ‘Bangers’ dynamic
performance gave him the slightest of edges over second
placegetter ‘Wild Man from the Wheat Belt’ & third
placegetter ‘Max Power’ For more details or photo requests, please visit: www.airguitaraustralia.com Air Guitar Australia would like to take this opportunity to thank all challenging air guitarists their roadies and groupies, &, participating venues for their support of the 2006 AAGC. Aspiring Air Guitar devotees are encouraged to ‘practice till their fingers bleed’ in preparation for the 2007 event. Unlike an air guitar, we look forward to seeing you at the 2007 AAGC. Ronnie Riffless Brett Provost **Australian & NZ
Air Guitar Championships** AGA Contact Details: |
**Fri
26 May 06**
DIGITECH PEDAL PHOTOS
Additional and better quality pictures have now been provided.... larger versions will be added very shortly. |
Preliminary images have been seen on some equipment sites. The 'Final' photos have been supplied by Digitech. WATCH THIS SPACE ... for an update about the development and nearing completion. COMING SOON!!! |
**Mon
22 May 06**
DOWNLOAD "COME ON ENGLAND" - IN THE STYLE OF BRIAN MAY
 |
Check out and download this brilliant track. Please leave your feedback. Brian liked it. [See LETTERS] DOWNLOAD HERE: www.eb3.biz/ |
The song is up there for fun, not for commercial purposes - people can download it for free. I played the rhythm track and solo on a Guild Brian May (one of the run of 500 limited editions released in the early 1990's) through a Boss OD1 overdrive pedal and a 1964 Vox AC30 (with the normal and bright channels patched together). I played the intro on a Les Paul. Given the feel of the song I tried to think how [Brian] might have approached the solo. I am sure it is a pale imitation of what [Brian] would have produced, but I thought I would send it anyway, to give [Brian] a laugh, and also as a tribute to [his] unique sound and style. Mike Henley |
|
**Wed 17 May 06**
G N'R EXTRA DATE
Maybe a chance to hear some of those Chinese Democracy tracks played live....? Guns N'Roses have announced a very special one-off date in the UK as a warm up for their appearance at this year's Download Festival. The band return to London Hammersmith Apollo on June 7 for their first show at the venue in almost 20 years. The gig will be Guns n' Roses first in the UK since they performed at the London Arena on August 26 2002. Tickets for the show are priced £37.50 and will go on sale on Friday May 19 at 9am. Support - Californian rockers, Avenged Sevenfold. |
**Tue
16 May 0**
2006 AUST AIR GUITAR CHAMPS NATIONAL FINAL
 |
P R
E S S R E L E A S E 2006 Australian Air Guitar Champs (AAGC) National Final… ‘It’s a long way to the TOP END if you wanna rock n roll!!’ Once again numerous dreams & the odd string have been broken in a lead up to the 5th Annual 2006 AAGC National Grand Final in order to find the ‘greatest guitarist in Australia who never played’! The Australian National Grand Final will be held on Friday night 26/5/06, at ‘Discovery’ Nightclub, Darwin, NT. Doors open 9.00pm (free entry till 10.00pm) with the competition commencing at 10.00pm. |
Please see 06 AAGC National Grand Final competitor line up below. The Australian National Champ will represent Australia at the 11th Annual (one louder then ten…) Air Guitar World Championships (AGWC), Finland, 8th September 2006. The Ideology of AGWC is to promote world peace. According to the AGWC ideology, all evil things disappear from the world whenever people play the air guitar. The criteria and rules are implemented as per AGWC governing body. Contestants compete in two rounds, the free round (competitors choice) and a mystery round (announced on the night). Competitors can play electric, acoustic, or bass air guitar – or all of them. Help from personal air roadies is allowed. Judges pay close attention to the ‘air guitarists’ Showmanship (originality, charisma, artistic impression) & Technique (strum & chord synchronisation). FIRST PRIZE Australian Champion: Along with a wealth of fame…there’s a trip for one to Europe to attend and participate in the 11th Annual 06 AGWC in Finland. Includes return International Airfare & Accommodation. Please visit: www.airguitaraustralia.com for further 06 AAGC & essential Air Guitar Information. MEDIA interested in attending the Official AAGC Press Conference and or covering the 2006 AAGC National Final are asked to contact Air Guitar Australia to secure accreditation prior to attending event. Practice till ya fingers bleed! Ronnie Riffless - AAGC Coordinator PH & FAX#:
(61) 7 5520 1105. MOB PH#: 0417 706537 The line up for the 06 AAGC National Grand Final is: Queensland (QLD) Champ – Clay Connolly aka ‘Clay Bangers’. With a background in gymnastics, circus and stunt work ‘Bangers’ style has to be seen to be believed. His very talented, dedicated and hi impact performance will leave all in air ore! ‘Bangers’ held off some tuff competition at the QLD to secure the title for the second year in a row. New South Wales (NSW) Champ – Russell Adams aka ‘Crimson Gore’. A solid competitor on the NSW Air Guitar circuit for a number of years ‘Crimson’ broke all strings in order to secure the 2006 NSW title. ‘Crimson’ high fidelity moves and technique was enough to please the crowd and judges and more importantly defeat 2nd placegetter and defending 05 NSW & Australian Champ, Jimmy Dangles Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Champ – Ben Sticepich aka ‘Max Power’. Step over Jack Black & peel the flower of ‘Max Power’! Mr Max to his senior pupils at the rock/music drama based program at Erindale College in Canberra the outlandish performer once again bedazzled the audience to secure back to back ACT titles by the barest of margins from 2nd placegetter chick rock devotee Miss Spent Youth Victorian
(VIC) Champ – Lou Mitrevski aka ‘Lou Jovi’.
With a passion for
all things glam in life and in rock, ‘Lou Jovi’, the
man, the name, the Tasmanian (TAS) Champ – Luke Young aka ‘Lukey Spookey’. Another hi calibre hi octane performer ‘Lukey’ has a host of very interesting & unique moves in his repertoire which enabled him to go on to defeat some major air guitar talent at the TAS Final including 04 & 05 TAS champ ‘Cas Man’. Competing in the TAS competition for many years ‘Spooky’ is keen to enter the national air guitar stage…watch out for the fold backs tho…they bite! South Australian (SA) Champ – Lauren Young aka ‘Lozzy Losbourne’. Busting onto the SA air guitar circuit for the first time in 2006, ‘Lozzy’ blew up big time to take out the title! Her win was attributed to extreme high energy levels & a mass back log of wild mills & creative flare, hidden for years in her private studio (her bedroom), which when released onto the stage sealed her destiny. Western Australian (WA) Champ – Neil Richards aka: ‘Wild Man from the Wheat Belt’. According to ‘The Wild Man’, 2003 & 2004 WA Champ, his home town of ‘Quairading’ located 200kms south of Perth in the WA's wheat belt is the home of air guitar in WA… not just because it includes the word ‘air’ either! A true statesman of air guiar in Australia the ‘Wild Man’ is a true showman and his highly technical style & dynamic stage presence is hard to beat. Northern Territory (NT). NB: NT will have two representatives in the National Final. Darwin. 'The Vic on the Mall'. PH: 08 8981 4011. Darwin Final: Thur 18/5/06. Alice Springs Champ - Sophie 'Soph Dog' Wilson. A new member to the air guitar fraternity with ole sckool rock values, 'Soph Dog' knows how to roll with the best of em courtesy of her love affair with 80's rock!. Honing her air guitar skills in Sth East QLD, 'Soph Dog' now proudly jams exclusively 'in the middle of nowhere but the centre of everything' to the delight of the tourists and locals alike. **AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FINAL** **Australian & NZ
Air Guitar Championships** AGA Contact Details: |
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**Mon 15 May 06**
WATCH AND VOTE - VH1 AIR TO THE THRONE
WHO WILL BE THE NEXT AIR TO THE THRONE? You to decide who is the Air to the Throne! Watch the contestants' videos and vote for your favorite air guitar performance. The winner will be featured on the red carpet at VH1's Rock Honors in Las Vegas and scores a spot in the US Air Guitar National Championships. Choose the best!
|
**Mon
15 May 06**
AXL SPEAKS ON CHINESE DEMOCRACY AT NY GIG
AXL
RETURNS WITH MORE GUNS N' ROSES AXL ROSE returned to the stage last Friday and Saturday night at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, screeching his way through two of four scheduled warm-up shows for GUNS N' ROSES' European festival run this summer. The metal giants played hits including "Welcome to the Jungle," "November Rain," "Paradise City" and "Patience" to an overeager crowd -- along with a handful of new tunes of their really, really long-awaited next effort, "Chinese Democracy." Even with three guitarists onstage, Axl still stole the show and even invited "an old dear friend" (no, not SLASH) up with him: SKID ROW's SEBASTIAN BACH for a duet on "My Michelle." With "Chinese Democracy" reportedly due this fall, Axl told the audience, "Thank you for holding your breath." Axl and co. play the venue again tonight and Wednesday. |
**Sat 13 May 06**
QFC CONVENTION TALK BY BRIAN'S SCHOOL PAL, 1984'S JOHN GARNHAM
QUEEN
FAN CLUB CONVENTION 2006 John Garnham was formerly in Brian May’s first band, ‘1984’. Synopsis (E&OE) John started off by saying that didn't think many people actually would know who he was, but anyway, he said they had dug him out of the woodwork. He used to go to school with Brian and was in the first real band that Brian ever had, so felt he was a lot bigger dude (?) for having known Brian. John said hopefully afterwards he'd be kicking around somewhere and anyone who wanted a bit of a chit chat was welcome to come and speak to him. He was going to be asked a few questions by Jim Jenkins and thanked Jacky for inviting him. He congratulated her on a brilliant 'do', to much applauds. He said he met Brian at school, who was in the year younger class - but Brian was a super brain and was moved up to be in the same class as John. Brian was a bit of a Goody Two Shoes, and was very brainy. He remembered that when Brian was making his guitar he used to bring the neck into school and he would spend hours during the week, almost every lunch hour, polishing the neck till it was absolutely immaculate. The guitar itself, John did personally know and had played it, It was very unusual. It's actually got quite a fat neck, that means it's quite difficult to get the fingers round and in fact is quite chunky, but what it does have is an amazingly smooth fingerboard, which was amazingly easy to play. A very distinctive guitar. And he was mildly jealous because he just had a [Hofner] Colorama, which he thought was why he got in the band [1984] in the first place. Also that he had some mikes and music stands got him into the group - and he could play a bit. Anyway, the group needed a rhythm guitarist and he was the rhythm guitarist, though one or two thoughts have been bandied about. It was thought that he played bass, whereas he did play rhythm guitar primarily. He did alternate with the bass player, Dave Dilloway, for a period of time to see if they could get an improvement, but ended up playing rhythm guitar. About 1984 name? The name really came about from Brian and Tim Staffell from their interest in Science Fiction. The group were formed when they were at school. The school John went to, where he met Brian was called Hampton Grammar School. It was a Boys only school and it came to produce one or two people who ended up in the music business. The bass player from the Yardbirsds... (someone else ?)... and there was a chap called Peter 'Woolly'S Hammerton, in fact his best school mate, who was a very good guitarist and for a time he was mildly better than Brian. Brian went on to much greater things of course, and John thought that Woolly ended up as a dentist, although he has done some recordings recently. He thought the original singer, Tim Staffell, who was in 1984, and then went onto the group Smile, had written more songs and thought Brian and Peter Hammerton guested on the recording. 1984 Gigs? In those days, if you could play at all and you were in a group, you were someone. 1984 played pretty much all around London, smallish clubs and pubs, and had a very strange mix of material, between Tamla, Soul, R&B, Hendrix. It was a real strange mix, which was partly because they all had their own personal ideas, so they'd all try and put their own two-penn'orth in . . . They would do some really good gigs with plenty of people there, and he gave an example of one on the North Circular Road in London, a pub there, and said for some strange reason, everybody who went there was into Ska. So they started their numbers, Hendrix and other things, and in about a quarter of an hour, this place that had been packed, was empty. Unbelievable and they were powerless to halt it. Anyway, they didn't get paid. The other thing that came to mind was they did a complete gig at Olympia in London, but were really just a fill-in band and were supposed to play about 8 o'clock in the evening, but they probably ended up playing about 4 o'clock in the morning, and it was crap. The sound was awful. They had no idea what the sound was like. They finally got back to the dressing room and their stuff had been nicked and they had to walk up and find their car had been towed away, because they'd arrived, like most of the bands, early afternoon and parked their cars. The police came along late in the afternoon, put up the No Waiting signs, and towed our motors away. Wonderful. John said that they did some pretty good gigs and were support band for a gig at Imperial College when Hendrix was starting off. He said the place was packed. John said he worked at Thames TV and that the band recorded 8 or 9 tracks.... KNOCK ON WOOD played John said this showed the 'soul-y side of Brian, with some of Brian's twiddly bits coming in. --- Asked why did 1984 split? They were several bands at the time all doing exams at various schools and colleges and so they used to slot in with different groups, so this affected the band as a unit and differences of opinion crept in as to what they should play. --- Asked how did Smile evolve? All the local bands disintegrated at the same time but Brian and Tim looked around for a drummer and found Roger [Taylor] , who had a huge impact on the sound. This was really when Queen started. IF I WAS A CARPENTER PLAYED Tim didn't have the charisma of Freddie and stepped aside. Queen advertised for a bass player and shut itself away for six months and then invited all their friends and contacts to a free concert at Imperial, which was quite outstanding. --- Asked what he thought about Queen in 2006? He said it was wonderful that that Queen are on the radio just all the time in many countries, including Spain. John had brought with him a copy of Record Collector November 1995 "The Early Days', so anyone was welcome to read the article in there about 1984. --- Someone asked - was Brian ever naughty at school. John reiterated that Brian was Goody Two Shoes at school and quite quiet, and when he first saw Brian on the catwalk doing his thing, the arm windmills and whole stance, really being out front.... that wasn't the Brian John knew. --- Asked about photos of 1984. Sadly John doesn't possess any, though there ar a couple in books and magazines. They used to record themselves to listen back and say that wasn't any good, and generally would wipe the tape of any recordings. Asked if they had got together in recent years, John did mention just one reunion meeting they had at Dave Dilloway's house. --- Ed: Anyone who can add anything or a photo, please mail us. |
**Wed
10 May 06**
NEWS FROM BRIAN MAY GUITARS
The first shipment of BM guitars from the new factory lands within
the next two weeks and then the big push will commence. |
**Wed
19 Mat 06**
'CHINESE DEMOCRACY' SAGA IN TOTAL GUITAR
The June 2006 issue of Total Guitar features a 5-page article, on "The Making of Chinese Democracy" (page 58 - 64 - one page is adverts.) GUNS N'
ROSS Eight guitarists. Twelve years. Thirteen million dollars. As GN'R frontman Axl Rose promises 2006 will see the release of Chinese Democracy, Total Guitar looks back at the saga behind the world's most elusive album. --- quote: As Rose's revolving door gathered speed a number of famous faces drifted in and out of the frame. Zakk Wylde "We jammed together for just over a week." . . . Queen legend Brian May lasted longer and his contribution to early Chinese Democracy sessions surfaced on the recently leaked track Catcher In The Rye. ("He's not always easy [to work with]," admitted the nicest man in rock when grilled on Rose's studio etiquette). Axl at a Korn tour launch party: "It's a very complex record," the enthusiastic frontman told Rollng Stone at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. "I'm trying to do something completely different. Some of the arrangements are kind of like Queen. Some people are going to say that, 'It doesn't sound like Axl Rose; it doesn't sound like Guns N' Roses,' but you will like at least a few of the songs on there. We're working on 32 songs at the moment and 26 songs are nearly done." Then came the soundbite that ran though the press like wildfire: "People will hear music this year." . . . Finally, there's Catcher In The Rye - the anthem that takes its name from the JD Salinger novel and combines piano with Brian May's distinctive guitar lines. "Yes, my guitar is there, nice and crisply recorded," confirmed the Queen man in the days following the leak. "I like the track a lot and always did, and it still sounds fresh. The thing that hits you first is that incredible, incredible voice. We've been missing it for far too long." |
PRESS RELEASE: BANG! Published by Carlton Books in October 2006 at £20.00 |
|
BANG! Space, time, matter … the Universe was born 13.7 billion years ago. Infinitely small at first, it expanded more rapidly than anyone can contemplate. After a millionth of a second, it was the size of our entire Solar System. By the time one second had passed, it was more than 10 billion kilometres across. Today, it stretches further than we can see – the furthest we can see using the best telescopes we have is 13.4 billion light years (more than 100,000 billion billion kilometres). In BANG! The Complete History of the Universe, authors Brian May, Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott (Patrick Moore’s co-presenter on ‘The Sky at Night’) explain how all this came about, from that moment when time and space came into existence, to the formation of the first stars, galaxies and planets to the evolution of human beings able to contemplate our own origins and ultimate destiny. Then on towards that destiny in the infinite future, long after the Earth has been consumed by the Red Giant Sun. This story is told in clear, straightforward terms, in the strict order in which the events happened, and uses no mathematics. Readers of BANG! do not need to know anything on this amazing subject before their journey begins. In fact, BANG! is the first book to make all the very latest leading-edge research on the subject accessible enough for a complete novice to understand. BANG! is perhaps one of the most astounding, incredible stories ever told. Is it fiction? We hope not, since it is based upon lifetimes of work by great scientists such as Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and many other brilliant minds. Let your imagination run riot … |
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AUTHORS Brian May ARCS, CBE, FRAS is a founding member of Queen, a world-renowned guitarist, songwriter, producer and performer. Brian was forced to abandon his PhD studies in Interplanetary Dust at Imperial College, London, when Queen’s popularity first exploded, but has always retained his keen interest in astronomy and is a regular contributor to ‘The Sky at Night’. He is also known as Dr May, since being awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Science by the University of Hertfordshire. Sir Patrick Moore CBE, FRS, FRAS has specialised in the study of the moon, and is one of the best known interpreters of modern astronomy. His monthly BBC TV programme, ‘The Sky at Night’, was launched in the same year as Sputnik 1 (1957) and Patrick has been commentating upon space exploration and astronomy ever since. He has made many appearances on TV and radio and written hundreds of books and articles. He has lectured to packed venues the world over. He has inspired several generations of professional and amateur astronomers to embark upon a lifetime of enthusiastic participation in the subject. Brian May and Chris Lintott are two of his close colleagues. He is also an accomplished musician and composer. Chris Lintott PhD, FRAS is best-known as the co-presenter, with Patrick, of ‘The Sky at Night’. He took his first degree in Physics at Cambridge, then his PhD in Astrophysics at University College London, and is now doing further research at Oxford. He has a particular interest in star and galaxy formation and astrochemistry. |
|
**Tue
09 May 06**
AXL ROSE BREAKS HIS SILENCE - ALBUM RELEASE IN FALL
| VH1 MUSIC FIRST
It started out as another great night on Q104.3 with Sebastian Bach, Scott Ian and Chris Jericho live in the studio. It turned into a classic night when the reclusive AXL ROSE came down to the studio and talked with Ed for over 3 hours! Axl told great stories from life on the road with GNR, Sebastian Bach and some talk about the new CD [Chinese Democracy] (coming this fall) and tour. Axl was in rare form, spending hours talking candidly about his career and himself. Audio will be coming very soon to the site, although there were no pictures permitted of the evening. If you don't get the Eddie Trunk show in your area, Click here to find out how to get the show in your area. Listen
on line
on
http://www.KNAC.com (worldwide
web stream) |
**Sun 07 May 06**
IRON MAIDEN QUOTE
| MTV NEWS
In a post on his Web site, producer Kevin Shirley (H.I.M., Judas Priest) said Iron Maiden will finish recording their yet-untitled, forthcoming album this week. "The last song for the record is on the console — we still have some keyboard washes to add, and then I'll finish up the mix," he wrote. "Yesterday we recorded umpteen guitar tweedles, ably executed by [guitarist] Janick [Gers], in four-part harmony, which led me to believe that if there is a hell, [Queen] guitarist Brian May will be the gatekeeper." ... |
**Sat
06 May 06**
WHITE BODY BM GUITAR
|
From Brian May Guitars: Close up photo of White Bodied Brian May guitar. Click for larger image (some speckling on scanned picture) |
**Thu 04 May 06**
DIGITECH PEDAL LATEST
There should be more news soon. This coming Saturday, 6 May, the developers plan to visit the London Guitar Show. Find them on the Digitech Stand there. They say they hope to have some nice things to share with the show attendees!!!! |
**Thu 04 May 06**
FOXX PHASER REVIEW
 |
Reader and guitarist, Mark Reynolds has just taken delivery of the new Foxx Phaser re-issue, supplied to him by A Strings. It's a guitar pedal which Brian May used all through Queen in his guitar rig. Mark kindly shares here his review, comparing it to an original Foxx Phaser he has. --- |
Visual
differences: Difficulties: Effect differences: Settings: Speed Range: Slow Phase Depth: Straight up at 12 o'clock The pedal wants to be pushed fully forward then pushed back about
5mm. Sound comparisons: Conclusion: Seriously, this really is a true copy of an original pedal with one or two minor differences. Internally it looks almost identical in layout. That has to be hats off to Foxx for doing that. So many companies make replicas of their old gems and then you find they are nothing like them. They have replicated the original Foxx brilliantly. Mine is one of the very first Foxx Phasers so I can only say that if it sounds good to my AC30 damaged ears, it will sound even better to you guys! The pedals are available from: www.astrings.co.uk Mark Reynolds |
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**Wed
03 May 06**
VISIT 'BRIAN MAY GUITARS' AT LONDON GUITAR SHOW
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We have news that Brian May Guitars we will be at the London Guitar show as the Bass Centre. They confirmed today that they will have a Brian May 2006 model guitar at the show. (Stock of the new model comes through next week.) They will also have the new mini May guitars there and catalogues will be available. Readers visiting the show may like to ask for Deano, on the House Of Guitars stand, who will be happy to assist. Click opposite for larger image. More images soon.
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**Wed
03 May 06**
CD FOR FANS OF STEREOGRAPHS
 Available from amazon.co.uk |
Fans of stereographs may be interested in this release: Tool's 4th studio album, '10,000 Days' is rather unusually packaged in a thick cardboard digipack with stereographic photos of the band's members and artwork by Alex Grey. The package also incorporates a pair of stereoscopic eyepieces for viewing the photos as three-dimentional images. An adaptation of Alex Grey's artwork "Net of Being" is also featured in the cover. The CD was released in parts of Europe 28 April 2006, and 29 April in Australia, with release in the UK and States, 1 and 2 May. 10000
Days |
| 1.
Vicarious 2. Jambi 3. Wings For Marie 4. 10000 Days 5. Pot 6. Lipan Conjuring |
7.
Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann) 8. Rosetta Stoned 9. Intension 10. Right In Two 11. Viginti Tres |
**Wed
03 May 06**
WIN SIGNED BRIAN MAY OPTIMA STRINGS AT LONDON GUITAR SHOW
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The London Guitar show will also have A Strings in attendance!!! Stand 330 [Ed: A Strings are stocksts of Brian May's Optima Gold Strings]. We’re giving away signed sets of Brian May strings, Optima T-shirts and pens to some lucky people who visit our stand and fil out a competition slip. We will have the strings on sale as well as fOXX pedals (Brian used the fOXX phaser throughout the 70’s – used it to record Bo Rhap, White Man, We Will Rock You, etc). All of these will be on sale and available to demo. From:
A Strings |
**Tue 02 May 06**
LONDON GUITAR SHOW
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The London Guitar Show 2006 will take place at Wembley 5-7 May 2006. Website: www.londonguitarshow.co.uk Of particular
interest to Brian May equipment enthusiasts, exhibitors include -
Digitech,
House of Guitars,
Vox,
Yamaha and Riffathon - and A Strings!!! |
**Tue 02 May 06**
RIFFATHON 2006 TO LAUNCH AT LONDON GUITAR SHOW (5-7 MAY)
!!!EXCITING ROCK NEWS FROM RIFFATHON!!!!
AND….THE DVD OF THE 2005 FINAL WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE FROM THE LONDON GUITAR SHOW OR VIA THE WEBSITE www.riffathon.com Riffathon |
**Mon 01 May 06**
ANNOUNCING US AIR GUITAR LA AND SF REGIONALS
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Who's the best in the west? US Air Guitar announces 2006 LA and SF Regionals. SF 5/11 • LA 5/13 California's best battle it out. |
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San Francisco Regional • Thursday, 5/11 5/11 • Doors
8:30PM • Show 9PM |
Los
Angeles Regional • Saturday 5/13 5/13 • Doors
8PM • Show 9:15 |
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**Mon 01 May 06**
BRIAN MAY DIGITECH PEDAL - PROGRESS REPORT AND PRESS RELEASE PHOTOS
Photos issued with Press Release for new Digitech® Brian May Artist Series Pedal.
LATEST NEWS: Following reader enquiries, wanting to know when the new Digitech Brian May Pedal will be released onto the market - Digitech tell us that the project is moving along very well. The best case to ship the product is the end of May. That is if everything goes without any glitches. It's more likely that the pedal will ship in June though. Consumers will be able to find the Brian May Red Special Artist Pedal in over 900 US retail locations and in over 106 countries worldwide. The DigiTech US dealer locator is found
at www.digitech.com/dealers/dealer.htm Consumers will be able to find and purchase the product in June. The formal press release announcing the collaboration has been distributed worldwide and I expect to begin seeing it in the magazines very soon. Ed: With thanks to Digitech |
**Mon
01 May 06**
FORTHCOMING "ULTIMATE GUITAR ZEUS"
Click images for larger |
A forthcoming album of Carmine Appice music called Ultimate Guitar Zeus will be a re-release in the UK of the Guitar Zeus Project (with a few changes) - on June 15th and in August in the USA and Japan. Brian May features on the second track Nobody Knows. The album features a host of world-renowned guitarists, plus vocals from Edgar Winter.... CARMINE
APPICE PROJECT - ULTIMATE GUITAR ZEUS Slash - Brian May - Ted Nugent - Zakk Wilde - richie Sambora - Yngwie Malmsteen - Doug Pinnick - Ty Tabor - Mick Mars - Neal Schon - Vivian Campbell - Pat Travers - Stevie Salas - Edgar Winter - Steve Morse - Steven Segal - John McEnroe - Seymour Ducan |
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Track listing: Days Are
Nights (Ted Nugent) |
Killin Time (Ty Tabor) |
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Credits: |
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**Mon
01 May 06**
BRIAN'S APPEARANCE(S)
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET - BELFAST
Writes Stuart: Leathem: Took my good lady to see Return to the Forbidden Planet on Friday night. A great night’s craic. Very entertaining and a talented group of actors / musicians to boot. I’m nearly sure I recognized that narrator guy from somewhere too…………………………. Needless to say Brian managed to get many laughs even though he wasn't there in person, particularly his “Will you make it to the bar?” quote and his explanation of the plot at the beginning of part II which had everybody rolling. I wasn’t laughing as hard as my wife because I was frantically trying to take a comprehensive set of notes on all the key plot-points I’d missed……………….. Very enjoyable. Great job BM.com: How many times did Dr Rockit appear? Dr Rockit (aka Dr M) appears (counting frantically.........) 5 times in total. He appears right at the beginning to give a very serious Shakespearean introduction to the musical. He then appears just prior to the interval to do a quick summary. Then at the beginning of part 2 he explains the plot so far (for gormless types like me) and at the end of the play he brings it to a conclusion with another spoken bit. When the cast are taking their bow at the end the lights go down and Brian takes a bow himself on the screen. His acting has improved immeasurably since the video for Calling All Girls! Very enjoyable night out and to be honest pleasantly surprising for it to land in Belfast. We normally have to wait 10 years longer than everybody else to get a decent show to come here! BM.com: Was Brian credited in the Programme and was there a stir of recognition when he appeared? Indeed he was, and given all his full titles too! The first time he came on the screen there was a muted whoop in the theatre! I think the novelty of Brian May being in our wee theatre caused a hell of a stir. Some even applauded out of shock. A woman in front of me even passed out but I think it was because she was drunk......................... I felt like the only well-informed Queen fan to be there but I'm sure I wasn't. Stuart 2006 Tour - The Cast & Crew Captain Tempest - William Wolfe Hogan |